Charity school

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The Blue Coat School (in this case Christ's Hospital, London) as drawn by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson for Rudolph Ackermann's Microcosm of London (1808-11). The picture shows the Great Hall on St. Matthew's Day, September 21st. Two senior boys destined for scholarships to Oxford and Cambridge Universities, known as Grecians, gave orations in praise of the school, one in Latin and the other in English.

In England, a charity school, also called Blue Coat School, was originally a type of elementary school erected and maintained in various parishes, by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children to read, write, and other necessary parts of education. They were usually maintained by religious organizations, which provided clothing and education to students freely or at little charge. In most charity schools, children were likewise put out to trades, services, etc, on the same charitable foundation.

Charity schools began in London, and spread throughout most of the urban areas in England and Wales. By 1710, the account of the charity schools in and around London stood thus: number of schools, 88; boys taught, 2181; girls, 1221; boys put out to apprentices, 967; girls, 407. By the 19th century, English elementary schools were predominantly charity schools.